Isn't It Beautiful
by Shining Zephyr
Summary: Three-shot based off of Ambush and All In. Spoilers for All In. Horatio's small journey starts with a seemingly last good bye to Yelina, continues with the firefight in Brazil, and finishes with a talk with someone who seems to care...
1. Part 1:3 Wait for Me

**I came up with this while I was listening to the Final Fantasy VII piano version of the song "Tifa's Theme." Given that tonight's episode has Yelina and Horatio in it, and Horatio is getting extradited to Brazil for Riaz's murder, I'd figure I'd come up with a piece. No, I don't think this will happen in the episode, but who said writing a little angst hurt? That, and I love the song anyways.**

**-gives you Horatio Caine look and pose- I... don't own the show.**

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Part 1/3- Wait for Me

He stood there in the hallway, the feds giving him wary stares. A lump had rose in his throat. "I... I didn't mean for you to get involved in this," he muttered, looking down, tears stinging his vision. "It's just... well, you were there, and you knew I was in Brazil, and everything just went down for Ray and..." He took a deep breath, trying his best to straighten up and look professional. "Well, I, uh... you know. I kind of..." He laughed slightly. He never stuttered like this. Never once in Horatio Caine's life had he stuttered before. "Well, you know."

Yelina smiled slightly and looked out the window. "I understand. I know what you're trying to say. Horatio, you don't have to put it into words what you're trying to tell me. I've known."

He stood there, dumbfounded. What was she saying?

"All these years we've known each other, and you never once said a word about your love for me. Horatio, it wasn't like you had anything to hide. Honestly. I knew those looks you gave me when you were talking to me. They were of longing and love and everything in between. If you had any feelings for me, why didn't you just talk about them? I didn't love Stetler then, so..." She shook her head, laughing a little. "I don't understand it."

Horatio gave a weary sigh. "I wanted some time for you to get used to Raymond's death. I would have asked you out then, but..."

She brushed a piece of hair out of her face, biting her lip and fighting back her own tears. "There have been so many subtle little gestures, Horatio. Why haven't you seen them?I understand you're busy and all, but..." She swallowed. "Horatio, please just... understand that I've loved _you_ for the longest time."

He looked away as she slipped her hand into his. "I... Yelina, I..."

"You're a busy man. I know. Just make a little time in your life for the thing that is most important in your world- something you love to call 'family.'"

"Horatio!" one of the feds called out, annoyed.

He flashed them an angry look before turning back to Yelina, his hand slowly stroking her face. He gave her a soft smile. "Yelina. I'll be okay. They're just going to take me by the neck for a while, but I'll live."

She gave him one in return. "But will you ever be the same? Horatio, something could happen when you're in Brazil. I don't know what it could be, but... I can't help but worry about you."

He didn't say anything for several moments. She held his hand tightly. "Horatio?"

"It was self-defense, Yelina," he whispered hoarsely, all exterior masks of the typically stone-faced lieutenant thrown aside and revealing a redhead with a near sense of defiant hopelessness. "Riaz was running at me with a freakin' knife in his hand. What was I supposed to do?"

Yelina shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure, Horatio."

The fed growled lowly. "Caine! Your ass better be over here in twenty seconds, or I'm sending force your way!"

It could have possibly been the last time they were ever going to see each other. Horatio sighed and gave her a soft, genuine smile. "I guess I don't have to tell you that I love you, hm?"

"I'd still like to hear it. Just once, before you go."

The tears were still streaming down her face. Horatio took his finger and wiped her face slowly, feeling her tears for him run through his fingers. He nodded and leaned over, giving her a very quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll come back. I promise," he told her, smiling. "You know I will."

Yelina nodded, looking back out the window. "Yeah."

"Wait for me," he whispered as he walked away towards the secrets he was forced to face.

Yelina allowed herself a small smile as she watched him walk away and into the elevator. The doors shut, and she watched his eyes give her hope, give her a reason to wait.

She would wait for him. For as long as it would take, she would wait for him.

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**Okay, so I'm a sap. Sue me. XD No, really, I'd like reviews on this. It took a little bit of brain power to crank this out, and don't worry. You'll get another one after I watch "All In" on Tuesday night. Promise. Probably going to be a three-shot. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Part 2:3 Justice

**Why, oh why, did I promise so many updates...?**

**Oh yeah... Horatio. I love writing him. This is also set as if it is happening right now. ANGST! -runs away-**

**Thanks for reviewing **Le Pecore Nere, Jag Lady, PunkPrincess145, Carrro

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Part 2/3: Justice

The gun is level in front of him, a smile plastered on his face. He is facing six gang members, having just left the Chief's "office." He has taken the gun from off the table and had only begun his walk into the jungle when he heard a gun cock and a shot being fired. Suddenly, a group of Nochians have sprung out of their hiding places, guns all level on him.

They know him all too well. He is the one who murdered their leader. They know him as the "Redhead." And it's no surprised why they are both frightened and determined to take this man out. He is standing in front of them, his gun trained on the leader, his vision hidden behind a pair of sunglasses he wears. There is nothing but silence between them all until finally the leader yells to the redheaded male in his naive tongue, _"This is Mala Noche justice!"_

He cocks his head, speaking in his own broken Spanish. _"What?"_

The leader laughs, pointing to the redhead with his sword, mocking him with the other gang members. He believes it is absolutely hilarious. And so do his other friends as they snicker slightly. There are six of them in all, but not all of them look Hispanic.

The leader begins to taunt him personally, when suddenly...

_BANG._

One is down.

_BANG._

Two more are down with a single shot. The redhead is forcing himself not to grin as he fires another one.

_BANG._

Two more, gone and dead with the firing of the gun.

One by one, they fall as if they are in slow motion. The redhead keeps his calm, his weapon once again aimed at the leader, eyes hidden behind the sunglasses. He takes a step down off the stairs, and the gang leader tenses up.

For he doesn't know the nervous anger of Horatio Caine...

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Horatio's actually nervous for once in his life. His ears have become quickly attuned to the birds twittering and the nervous tension arising between himself and the Mala Noche gang member.

His hearing suddenly picks up a pair of motorcycles heading in his direction. No doubt they were sent as reinforcements to make sure they killed him. But he had one mission as he beckoned the gun in one diection.

'I'm not going to die,' he thinks firmly and makes a ninety-degree turn into the deep forage and flowers and such. He runs down a beaten path, looking for anything that can hide him from the oncoming gang members. He takes off the sunglasses and aims.

_BANG._

One down. His motorcycle does a wheelie.

_BANG,_

The other is down. His vehicle simply falls over, as does he.

Horatio moves quickly. There is no time to lose. He has to get out of here alive, and he has no idea how many shots were put into his gun. He cannot afford to waste a single one. Not now, not ever.

It's in his blood. The one word he lives off of is in his blood...

_He must SURVIVE._

His gun is in front of him, one fingering dancing on the trigger. He hold it in his left hand, dashing towards a tree as he hears another vehicle drive up to the site. No, he's not worried. Right?

Wrong. He has fear.

Fear of not seeing Yelina or Ray again. Fear of not saving Kyle or maybe Julia from Ron.

But Horatio never fears for his life.

He narrows his eyes slightly, his gun aimed for the car, where another gang member clamors out the window and sits on the windowsill, firing off into the forest. He does not know he is missing the one he is supposed to kill.

Horatio does. And he snags his chance.

_BANG._

Damnit. A miss.

_BANG._

A hit. He gets the window _and_ the driver inside.

'Oh,' he thinks with detached approval. 'That worked nicely.'

The copilot jumps into the front seat and pushes the man out of the car, leaving him dead in the road with the rest of his comrades. The gang leader runs after the vehicle, seemingly wanting to catch up with it. He no longer wants to be a part of this attack.

Horatio believes otherwise.

_BANG._

The gang member stumbles awkwardly, dropping his machete in the process. He falls to the dirt and groans silently, beginning to inch towards his weapon.

Horatio walks out of the shrubs, calm, yet a rush flows through him. He doesn't know why. It is not a good or a bad feeling.

It is merely a feeling of hope, of getting out of this hell alive. For that is what Horatio calls it- hell.

The man reaches and grabs the weapon, grinning in triumph when suddenly a shoe comes down on top of it. He looks up and sees Horatio pointing his gun down at him, a sort of hidden smirk on his face. He cocks his head in amusement.

The gang member sneers.

Horatio does what he does best.

"Mala Noche justice..." he utters quietly in English, "...meet Miami justice."

_BANG._

The final bullet lands squarely in the member's forehead, and Horatio turns away.

He's done his duty. But he cannot fully call himself a hero.

And yet, he isn't an outlaw, either.

What can he be considered?

Can anyone truly answer that if Horatio Caine himself cannot?

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**I actually really like how I did this piece. What do you think? _Please _review this one. It took a lot of rewatching to get it down. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Part 3:3 Breeze

**Finally got this wretched thing finished. I really should have made it a two-shot. XP**

**Thanks for waiting and reviewing** PunkPrincess145, EmilyProctorslittlegirl, Carrro, Le Pecore Nere, Hope06

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Part 3/3: Breeze

It felt nice- it really did.

Odd how I was in Brazil merely a couple of hours ago, and now I was back in Miami. Not only that, but I had found my missing CSI. And I couldn't help but feel a strange sort of tearing in my heart. It's hard to decide whether you should be happy you found someone you truly care for or worried about the one lone family member left in your life. I know I can't. Imagine trying to figure out which emotion to show.

And as I stood there on the patio, fingering my sunglasses and looking towards where the sun had rose, I began to wonder about what would happen during the rest of the year. I couldn't help but think _back_ on the whole year. My son, Ron Saris, Julia coming back into my life, and now this... it seemed like one incoherent blur unless I sorted out the pieces and looked at them one at a time. And even then, I was surprised at how much- or how little- stuff had happened in the past few months.

It really is amazing how fast time flies in Miami.

I couldn't help but feel serene as the wind ruffled my hair, seeming to joke around with me. Hadn't felt like that in a long time, and I don't know if I should have really felt this way or what. It worried me a lot to think I can act so calm in these dark times in life, and yet it didn't. The door to the outside opened up behind me, and I heard footsteps walking towards the railing. The brunette looked semi-hopeful, standing awkwardly as if I was about to gnaw him out for something.

"You wanna tell me what happened, Horatio?"

I still kept smiling. It was weird- even though Stetler was there with me, I didn't feel the slightest bit annoyed with him standing there. I ducked my head and gave a very small smile. "And why do you care about what happened, Rick?"

He shifted his stance. "You didn't even seem the slightest bit worried before you left. It's almost as if you were expecting it to come or something."

'You have no idea,' I thought.

I turned my head and fingered my sunglasses a little more, contemplating my answer to the matter. Rick probably wouldn't have understood why I went there, and then I'd have to go into the whole story about Marisol and her death and greeting Riaz in Rio, and I didn't feel like reopening the same wound _again._ Now the only question remained- how would I tell this man what had happened without making it the story of my life?

Finally, I had the words. "I _was_ expecting it to come."

Stetler looked stunned for a moment before attempting to regain his casual demeanor. "You were?"

"I was. If you want to know the truth, I went to Brazil in 2006 for a day and I had a thing I had to accomplish there." I kept it vague enough for Stetler to not know what happened but gave him enough information about what I had- erm, _done_ when I was there.

The man didn't look convinced. "Who did you murder?"

I'm pretty sure the only thing that was keeping me calm was the breeze. "It doesn't affect your life, so what does it matter to you, Rick?"

"You know IAB is going to do a background check!" he replied, forcing himself not to growl in exasperation.

"And why would they do that? I haven't done anything wrong," I told him flatly.

I hated messing around with Stetler, but right now, I was kind of enjoying messing around with his head. The man looked as if he was about to burst a vein or something. I leaned off the railing and faced him. "Look, I'm pretty sure you have something better to do than waste your time on me. You've already done a good amount of damage on me with all your crap, so why don't we just call it a day and go home like other people do?"

The man smirked. "Oh, and you're with 'other people?'"

"Are you?" I retaliated quietly.

The agent opened his mouth, but no sound came out. I had him in the corner where he was meant to be.

The breeze ruffled my hair again. I gave a very small smile. "I'll tell you the real story some day. Right now, though, is just not the time."

Stetler looked at the parking lot, his lips pressed together. "Fine."

And there we stood for a few moments, lost in our own worlds and wondering how much more even I could take emotionally.

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**IT'S DONE. My god, I finished it. Anyways, thanks for reading, and feel free to review.**


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